RIP Barron Hilton — Hilton Hotel Magnate Dead At 91
Rest in peace, Barron Hilton.
Getty The name "Hilton" conjures up two images: Paris Hilton, and the Hilton chain of luxury hotels. Recently, however, it was revealed that the founder of the Hilton hotel chain, Barron Hilton, passed away at the age of 91. How did Barron Hilton die?
Let's look at what we know about the life and death of this magnate.
1. The early years of Barron Hilton
He was the second son of Conrad Hilton, a name synonymous with quality hotels the world over. But according to MSN, Barron Hilton took over the chain of hotels from his father in 1966. Though he was born in Texas, he moved to Los Angeles when he was 10 and started his hospitality career parking cars at the Hilton hotels.
2. What was Barron Hilton's net worth?
"Mr. Hilton spent five decades at Hilton Hotels, serving as chief executive for 30 years starting in 1966. During his tenure, the company was the fifth-largest U.S. hotel chain. He amassed a net worth of $1.25 billion," reported The Washington Post.
3. Barron Hilton and his other businesses
Barron Hilton wasn't just a hotelier. According to NBC News, Barron Hilton was someone who diversified his business interests, and actually founded a football team that is now known as the Los Angeles Chargers. He also served in the Navy before becoming a world-famous hotelier.
4. "We will miss him"
"The Hilton family mourns the loss of a remarkable man," Steven M. Hilton, his son and chairman of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, said in a statement to Fox 17 Nashville. "He lived a life of great adventure and exceptional accomplishment."
5. Paris Hilton took to social media to celebrate his life
According to USA Today, Barron's infamous granddaughter Paris Hilton took to social media to share her thoughts about his life. Calling her grandfather a "legend," Paris Hilton implied that she was very close to her grandfather, and that she would miss him for the rest of her days.
6. Barron Hilton died of natural causes
"Hotel magnate Barron Hilton died of natural causes at the age of 91 on Thursday at his Los Angeles home, according to the Hilton family. He left about 97% of his estate to the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, which expects to grow its endowment from $2.9 billion to $6.3 billion — a $3.4 billion increase. Hilton amassed a fortune creating orange juice products, an oil company, the American Football League and an aircraft-leasing business, even before he began working for his father Conrad in 1951," reported Fox Business.
Our thoughts are with Barron Hilton and the Hilton family during this difficult time.
Bernadette Giacomazzo is an editor, writer, and photographer whose work has appeared in People, Teen Vogue, Us Weekly, The Source, XXL, HipHopDX, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Post, and more. She is also the author of The Uprising series. For more information about Bernadette Giacomazzo, click here.